Steelers news: ESPN predicts Steelers big cuts, two-round mock draft, and more

The 2023 offseason has hardly even started, but we will soon be getting flooded with Steelers news as cuts are made and players are scouted this March. The first major event on the agenda this offseason is the NFL Combine, but free agency is also just around the corner.

Pittsburgh has been relatively quiet so far since the season ended, but that won't last for long. In the latest Steelers news, ESPN predicts some of the cuts Omar Khan and his team will have to make and Pro Football Focus conducts a two-round NFL mock draft. Here's what you need to know.

Steelers news

Recently, Bill Barnwell of ESPN wrote an article predicting the offseason moves of all 32 NFL teams. For the Steelers, Barnwell believes retaining CB Cameron Sutton is one of the biggest goals. However, Pittsburgh doesn't currently have the cap space to get an extension done.

Barnwell predicted that three overpriced players on the team will be released this offseason in an effort to save money.

"With Pittsburgh essentially at the salary cap, it can create space by moving on from cornerbacks William Jackson III and Ahkello Witherspoon, along with quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Those three cuts would create a little more than $24 million in space."

- Bill Barnwell

Barnwell isn't wrong when he talks about Sutton being a priority. We would expect the Steelers to do everything in their power to keep him around for the 2023 season. With the significant money they would free up, these cut decisions make sense.

More Steelers news

In other Steelers news, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently mocked three players two Pittsburgh in his full two-round mock draft. With the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Sikkema has Pittsburgh going with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright. With three offensive tackles already off the board in Parris Johnson Jr., Peter Skoronski, and Broderick Jones, PFF has them taking the best available tackle.

Pittsburgh then has two selections in the second round. They own the top pick of round two acquired by the Bears in the Chase Claypool trade. With the 33rd overall pick (technically the 32nd selection after Miami forfeited their first-rounder), Sikkema has the Steelers taking Georgia CB, Kelee Ringo. He then has Pittsburgh going with Clemson DL Brian Bresee with their original second-round pick. Ringo and Bresee were once discussed as potential top-10 picks in the draft.

NFL news

Obviously, the biggest NFL news this week surrounds the NFL Combine. Events don't kick off until Thursday, March 2nd when the defensive linemen and linebackers take the field for drills. However, players have already started their early arrivals to Indianapolis, including registration, pre-exams, orientation, and team interviews. These are conducted via positional groups.

The first measurements and workouts will kick off live on NFL Network this Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You can check out the full 2023 NFL Combine schedule here.